Goals and Dreams
by Kristina Marie
Summary: Sometimes our goals and dreams can become the same. Heck, just read, enjoy, and let me know if it makes sense. Tissue rating: Only for happy tears. Mad rating: Negative 12. Fluffy rating: Fluffy bits. No Beta - any errors belong to me.
1. Chapter 1

Once again, thanks to WEP for letting me play in their world.

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Goals

"Let's look at this logically."

"Darrell, you and logic. I already said 'no', about twenty-seven times."

"Keith, it only makes sense. . ."

"Lance! Not you too! When does no not mean no?"

"Keith."

"Hunk."

"You are outvoted."

"This is not a democracy, this is a command, and I happen to be in charge of the command." Keith glared in turn at each of the three other pilots who sat around the table, and then looked at the fourth person, "You have not uttered a word, Sven. I suppose you are plotting a take-over then?"

"No. But yu ken it is the best solution."

The commander slumped in his chair and then lay his head on his hands on the table. "This is not on my plan." Came the muffled, last-ditch effort to avoid what the other four proposed.

His two best friends just laughed while the other two pilots exchanged a confused look. Keith's head rose long enough to send a death-glare at his friends before plopping his head back down on his hands. Lance just laughed harder. Sven looked over at the confused pair, "Keit has alvays had a plan. He vould make commander by a certain age, picked out his assignments, den, at ze appropriate time vould make a political match to further advance his career. Take over as Commandant of the school, and eventually make a 5 star Admiral in charge of Garrison. Dis vould throw his plan out of sync."

"The implementation of my master plan, until you lot interfered had gone off precisely."

"Stop whining, Keith. Szheesch, you and your, and I am using air quotes since you are burying your head like an ostrich, master plan. Dude, this will be so much better!"

"Then why don't YOU be the sacrificial lamb, Lance?"

"Because you outrank me."

"Stupid reason."

The four pilots listened as their commander continued to mutter under his breath. They knew if they wanted to survive in the long term, things had to change. While they waited for their vaunted leader to accept the necessity they waited. Darrell pulled out his computer, Hunk took a pocket knife and a block of wood for his latest creation. Lance waved a deck of cards at Sven, who nodded. After about ten minutes, the Commander's lifted his head up, raised his middle finger at his teammates and then stood and stalked toward the door. "Run interference, bring me the intelligence needed, but I will take care of the strategy. Understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir." Came the response from the four men seated at the table. The Commander had spoken, not their friend.

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Allura rubbed her hands against her temples grabbing on the fraying remains of her temper. "Granal, things have to change if we are to survive. We cannot defeat Zarkon until and unless we have more help. We _need_ people who used to have technical expertise. We _need_ people to mine. We have the knowledge in the castle library, but I need _people_. Warm bodies to build the machines to build the manufactories, the power generation stations. Look, the off-worlders have a plan, but the plan will not work without the cooperation of the people. What else can I do?"

"Princess, I know you mean well, but you do not seem to understand the complexities of what you are asking. Now, maybe when you are little older," Granal smiled at Allura in condescension, "you will know more. Perhaps, if I had a discussion with Coran?"

Allura ground her teeth together. Technically she had reached her majority two years prior on her 19th birthday, but after the substance living in the caves for years, watching her planet and her people slowly falter, she had lived lifetimes in those years. Taking a breath, she put a smile and started to answer as a knock came at the door. _Finally¸_ she exclaimed in her thoughts, _only thirty minutes late._ "Enter, please."

Commander Kogane entered the room, offering her a bow before turning to greet Granal. "Sir. My apologies for the delay. Coran will be here momentarily." He circled the table waving a hand at a chair. Allura nodded, and the Black Lion pilot seated himself, pulling up the agenda of the meeting on his data pad.

Granal smiled heartily at the Commander, "Of course, Commander. I understand you wear many hats and just appreciate the time you take to meet with me today."

The door opened a second time and the Prime Minister walked into the room. "Excellent, everyone has arrived. Your Majesty," he offered with a bow, "Commander, Granal."

"Prime Minister." Granal offered with an obsequious smile.

Coran seated himself across from Granal and the discussion quickly commenced. Allura fumed as Coran and Keith quickly received the concessions from Granal he, oh so politely, refused her. Twenty minutes later, Keith offered his hand to Granal and excused himself from the meeting, but Coran could work out the details with Granal, and how much Granal's help would benefit the planet and how he appreciated Granal's expertise and general knowledge. Oh, and if he did not mind, he required a private word with he Princess? Allura graciously smiled, offered her hand, the men rising to bow as the Commander escorted her out of the room. As they exited, she took a breath,

"Not yet."

"Excuse me, _Commander_?"

"Just smile and nod for a few more minutes." He looked down at her, "Without the clenched teeth, if you please."

She looked up at him her smile becoming syrupy, batting her eyelashes, "Of course Commander. Whatever you say Commander. Shall I rub your feet now, Commander?"

"Princess." He did not say another word, but only continued to walk beside her, nodding at staff and answering questions as people came up to him. It took nearly ten minutes for them to reach the entrance to the interior gardens. As the doors closed behind them, the Princess stomped over to a bench and kicked it, letting out a scream of frustration.

"When I am older, I will understand! Right now, I should look pretty, put myself out on the market as a brood mare to bring resources to our planet, and let the older people worry about the details! Seriously!"

Keith leaned against the door jam, as Allura spent the next five minutes ranting. When she finally started to wind down, he stood upright and wandered to the bench to sit, patting the seat next to him.

Allura flopped onto the bench. "What am I doing wrong?"

"Nothing. Granal and the others see you as young, under-educated, and in need of protection. The last of the Royal Line and the last connection with the lions. If something happens to you, they worry the connection to the lions will break permanently. After all, your family line has always served as the caretakers. With Zarkon and Haggar targeting anyone with connections to the Kalmar line, you may be the very last of the caretakers."

Allura slumped, dejectedly. "I know. I _know_. More than anyone else. But that is all I hear. You are 21 years old. We are at war. You need to start having children and quickly. You need to replenish the line. Nanny tells me. Coran tells me. The maids give me looks. After all I am two years past my majority, and I should have several children already. With who? Most of the people my age either died or were taken as slaves."

Keith took a breath, thoughts racing. "With me." He braced himself for her reaction.

The princess slowly raised her head to look at Keith. She studied him for several minutes in silence. "With you." She finally repeated flatly.

Taking a risk, Keith knelt before Allura and reached for her hands with his. She resisted a moment, before allowing him to draw her hands forward. "In the last two years since we came, I have watched you. Physical beauty aside, you have an amazing heart and mind. Darrell has loved having someone as he says, nearly as smart as him to challenge his assertions. You may have lacked formal education, but in the last two years, you have voraciously absorbed more than we thought you could. You take time for the few children who have survived. Risked yourself time and again to help, even in the face of Zarkon and more recently, Lotor. I have watched you as you weep over the losses, but then stand again strong to help the survivors. I know about your flower patch. I have watched you for two years, and have hoped that your turning away of suitors may have indicated you return my. . . . regard. Princess. _Allura._ Please think about it. Do not turn me away." He kept eye contact as he raised her hands to kiss.

Allura sat still, looking at their joined hands, before raising her eyes to his. Freeing one hand, she reached over to brush his hair to the side, and down his cheek. "You ask if I return your. . . regard?"

Keith took a deep breath before looking down at the hand he still held. Finally, he swallowed audibly and looked up. "Allura, I. . . " he paused and licked his lips, taking another deep breath. "I esteem you greatly." He paused.

Allura raised an elegant eyebrow, "You _esteem_ me greatly."

Keith muttered something she did not hear, then looked down at their joined hands and squeezed it gently, twice. "My younger sister and I used to play a game on Earth."

"Oh?" Allura felt confused. Keith _finally_ had started saying the words she longed to hear, and now he talked about his sister?

"She was the surprise addition to my family when I turned 13. As she grew older, and I had babysitting duties I would hold her hand when we ran errands or went on walks. Being a teenage boy, of course I had to appear as though I did not like this, but in reality, I adored my little sister. So, we played a game, that was our secret game. I would squeeze her hand to tell her I loved her. She would squeeze me back, to tell me she loved me. She still signs her letters to me Squeeze, Squeeze. I do the same." He dropped his eyes and looked back down at their hands, shoulder tense as if waiting a blow.

"Ooooh." Allura understood. She put one hand under Keith's chin to bring his eyes back to hers. Then very deliberately squeezed his hand twice. His eyes blazed with an emotion she could not identify. Putting his free hand behind her neck, he carefully pulled her until only and whisper separated their lips.

"Tell me yes, Allura."

"Yes, Keith. A thousand times, yes."

She could feel his mouth turn up in a smile as he fused his mouth to hers.

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Too many plot bunnies. Guess being forced to semi-immobility while my knee recovers is a good thing?

Any errors belong to me, as I did not grab a Beta. Any large errors, please point them out!


	2. Chapter 2

Again, no Beta! Thanks for the encouragement and reviews.

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"And?" Came the irritated reply from the Commander. "Succinct, if you please."

"And it will work. It is not the off-worlder factor that will make a difference, but the ennoblement. The Council has the power to distribute the vacant titles and lands as they see fit."

Keith waved a hand, "I do not care about the lands, Darrel. Just one more thing to administer and try to fit into the schedule."

"True. But I cannot find a way to separate the two. The Earth equivalent would be," the Green pilot paused to look scroll a moment on his data pad, "Entailed. But what it also means, you have the right to populate those lands with peoples of your choice."

The other three pilots all perked up at the note. "Soooo," started Lance, "if we can connive. . . I mean the council mysteriously decides that we have earned through our various and sundry sacrifices a commensurate reward, they cannot then gainsay us on where we find the people to work said lands?"

"Nope."

"Do these people we attached to our lands have to actually work in the borders of those lands?"

"No, Sven, they can work anywhere we decide to assign them."

"Hot DAMN! This is the solution then. Way to go, Squirt!"

"Lance, I am taller than you, how am I _still_ a squirt?"

"Older brother privilege of never letting go of a diminutive nickname?"

"Seriously?"

"Yep. It's in the book."

"Never mind that we come from different planets much less different families?"

"Blood has been mingled. No going back now."

"You suck."

"Deal."

The Yellow Pilot laughed pointed a finger at the Red Pilot, "By that logic, I am the big brother of everyone, yes?"

"Uh oh."

"Is that an acknowledgement, _Little Brother?_ "

"I plead the fifth!"

"Fifth of what? Whisky? Vodka?"

"Ancient law against self-incrimination, means I do not have to answer the question one way or another."

"Ve are off topic, Gentlemen. Fascinating as dis discussion is, ve have a vay."

"Agreed, Sven." Chimed in the Commander. "This we can use! Darrell, can you route some messages to the council members alluding to wanting to reward the Voltron Force is a more permanent way that upholds the traditions of Arus and the Ancient Rites, of blah blah blah, whatever wording you need?"

"Aye, Captain."

"Also, forward the information to us. Lance, I need you to work your gossip network. Make your rounds with the castle staff and do your thing."

"Aye, Captain."

"Sven. . ."

"Ja, buy some rounds, ask de questions as a confused off-worlder."

"'Yoshi . . . "

"Done and done."

"Good. I will have conversations with Coran and Granal, who thinks I cannot see through his act. Anything else we need to discuss?" Silence and head shakes greeted the question. "Good. Dismissed. Go."

"Sir, yes, sir." The four replied. They five left their room and scattered to their various duties and assignments. Darrell walked with his data pad in one hand, subvocalizing commands as he walked. Lance and Sven walked toward the common rooms where staff gathered for breaks, meals, and off-time, leaving Keith walking with Tsuyoshi.

"Walk me to the repair bay."

"Of course."

"You have not mentioned the most important part of this plan."

"No."

The older man let the silence sit and directed the commander to a round about path toward the repair bay. He knew Keith needed to ruminate before speaking. Tsuyoshi had become something of Keith's sounding board over the last two years when he needed a different kind of perspective. As he waited for Keith to speak, Tsuyoshi thought about the long-term ramifications of their plan. If it worked, the five of them would not only become permanent citizens of Arus, but part of the ruling class. He did not know if that responsibility would sit well with the other three, but they would, God willing, allow others to guide them. Lance, Sven, and Darrell all had good hearts and taken the same kinds of command classes, but they did not have that natural leadership of Keith. Yoshi knew he, himself, could lead and people listened to him, but had never needed the acknowledgement of a command position, yet here he had volunteered to take an ultimate kind of command position.

Hopefully, Dawn would agree to move permanently to Arus and make a life here. They had dated for several years before this assignment, with the understand they would marry at the end of the deployment. For two years, she had waited patiently, keeping their relationship alive through letters and the occasional recording as though they lived in the 1800s on Earth and he a soldier stationed sent to a foreign country to fight. This meant the deployment would not end. They could certainly use her skills, and should the group become part of the ruling class, her ability to manage people and projects would ensure long-term success.

"The opportunity came up the same day." Keith broke into Tsuyo's musings. "After the meeting with Granal, who, obligingly enough, put Allura in a temper. She fumed about the council treating her like a brood mare and pushing her to have heirs to the Kalmar line." He fell silent again.

After another minute, the yellow pilot gently nudged, "And?"

"And when she asked 'With who?', it just popped out."

"What popped out."

"With me."

Tsuyoshi put his hand on Keith's shoulder and looked around the corridor. He opened one of the storage room doors and pulled his commander into the room. Pointing to one of the boxes he motioned his commander to sit, while leaning against another stack of boxes. "It just, quote, 'popped out.'"

"Yes."

"And?"

"And what?"

Tsuyo resisted the urge to shake his commander, "What. Did. She. Say."

"Yes."

"Well, hurdle one cleared. Good. And?"

"And what?"

"Keith. I am putting on my big brother hat here. Have you been spending time with the lady in question? Are you properly courting here while the rest of the field is prepared."

The commander ran a hand through his hair. "Yes? No? I mean, it is not like we have a way of spending much time without someone interrupting. I have tried to meet her in the gardens at least once every day."

"And what do you do in this the gardens?"

"Talk and cuddle."

"Well thank heavens you have that part right. Please tell me you are doing more than talking about tactics and training."

Keith shot a glare at Hunk. "Well, yes. I am not _that_ dumb. We talk about the future. What we hope to accomplish. Our histories. You know, dating stuff. Or engaged couple stuff. If we are engaged. Not sure. Have to ask Darrell what custom says."

"You are babbling."

The man ran his hand through is hair again. "It is going to happen, Tsuyo. We are going to not only help bring this world back from the brink, but we are going to be a part of the future here. It's a lot. Hell, Allura is talking about having me crowed King rather than just acting as her helpmeet. King. Me. That's. Well. A lot."

"Not much different than a 5-star general running the Academy."

Keith snorted, "It's a lot different. Decisions I make will impact not just a few thousand, or even ten thousand people, but eventually millions. It's. Huge. Overwhelming. Terrifying. What if I screw it up? Garrison, I know. Military I know. Running a planet?"

Hunk just leaned back and let his commander ramble. He had known his friend had bottled something up, and now just needed the chance to vent. Eventually he would talk himself around with a few well-placed comments and agreement noises. The yellow pilot paid close attention to what Keith said, and what he did not say. After about ten minutes, he finally started running out of steam, and slumped back on his hands, looking at the ceiling as if it held the answers wanted or needed.

"Ok. Big job. Got it. But what I did not hear in all of that is how you actually feel about Allura. Or, more importantly, if you told her how you feel."

A long paused followed the question. Hunk just waited patiently, watching the thoughts flit across his commander's face. "I. I really don't know, Tsuyo. She has been the Princess for so long, the untouchable one. We were meant to be pilots passing through. Help rebuild and the move to the next assignment, the next world. . . " he trailed off, uncertainty in his tone.

"Huh. What if I told you what I observe?"

"Ok."

"You have spent two years helping and guiding Allura as her world saw hope as Voltron arose. You have stood by her side, protecting her but gradually letting her take the lead as we all helped in her training and education. You have never smothered her, but have always been ready to jump in the path of a bullet. Hell, Keith, how many times have you been laid up in Med-tech after doing just that? How many times have you stood between her and Lotor, or whatever creature Zarkon or the witch sent? She engaged all your protective instincts." He held up a hand as Keith started to say something, "Listen. I will tell you when you can speak." He grinned at the mulish look that came over Keith's face. "Big brother time. Deal."

"Somewhere in all of this, I watched you develop first respect, then admiration, and then I watched as those feelings deepen. You may not recognize what the rest of us see so clearly. The both of you alone will be formidable, but as a couple, a ruling duo, you will be unstoppable. That is why we pushed so hard. You already love her, you just need to realize that."

Keith just looked at Hunk for several long minutes, before standing. "Thank you. I interrupted your work."

Just like that, his Commander returned. Tsuyoshi knew that he had heard every word and would now need to go and process. Probably with a flight in Black. He smiled as he overheard Keith appraising Castle Control he would take Black out, then stretched his arms overhead. Rolling his head and shoulders to remove the kinks, he headed out of the room, but not towards the repair bay. Dawn would appreciate an update to the conditions here. He would just have to make sure to use one of Darrell's encryptions. It would not do for the news to emerge before they had prepared everything.

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End file.
